Blue Horizon: Ocean Relief Through Seaweed Aquaculture
ABOUT THE PROJECT
The project will work at the global, regional, and national levels to strengthen and develop seaweed value chains. The project will work in the South China Sea and will be aligned with the Strategic Action Plan. More specifically, the project will work in the coastal and marine ecosystems of Viet Nam and the Philippines, where the potential for the expansion of seaweed aquaculture and seaweed aquaculture value chains exists. Seaweed farming is growing as a lucrative business in coastal provinces – farmed as a foodstuff, used in food processing, as well as cosmetics and medical industries. The livelihoods of the people who live in these coastal areas depend on the quality of water and habitat in these rich marine ecosystems.
Seaweeds can be grown with no external inputs, removing eutrophying nutrients from the water and turning them into valuable protein, oils, green chemical feedstock, and a range of industrial products. Producing large volumes of seaweeds for human food, animal feed, and additives, pharma & medical, fertilizer and food additives could represent a transformational change in the global food security equation.
Seaweed farming provides livelihood resilience for communities, ecosystem services for biodiversity enhancement, and generates revenues for emerging countries in order to alleviate poverty. Seaweed can be integrated into multi-trophic systems which can strengthen the economic resilience of coastal communities, all while providing benefits that will stabilize and strengthen the health of the surrounding environment.
A key to making the seaweed industry a driver of environmental sustainability, poverty alleviation, livelihood resilience, and shared prosperity, is to add more value closer to the production areas, thus creating more and better jobs for low-income coastal communities. To this end, the proposed project is intended to:
1) Connect rapidly evolving, cutting-edge science in the processing and use of seaweed to practical production technology;
2) create a forum for partnering technology to investors in developing countries; and
3) establish norms of operation to ensure that production systems remain among the most environmentally positive economic activities.
PROJECT STRATEGY
Objective: To create new sustainable seaweed value chains that will deliver ecosystem services and provide socioeconomic benefits
To create new sustainable seaweed value chains that will deliver ecosystem services and provide socioeconomic benefits
The project objective will be achieved through the following four components:
Component 1: Regional capacity building for seaweed aquaculture – This Component includes building regional capacity and plans for seaweed aquaculture, and participation in global seaweed coalitions
Outcome 1: Strengthened capacity and uptake of best practices throughout seaweed value chains, and increased participation in global seaweed coalitions
Component 2: Enabling Environment for Seaweed Aquaculture in the Philippines and Viet Nam – This involves creating an enabling environment for seaweed aquaculture at the national level – the project will support processes to identify appropriate areas for seaweed expansion, and operationalize management plans specific to such areas, with accompanying plans and coordination mechanisms (national/global) to support this (Component 2).
Outcome 2.1: Improved planning to facilitate seaweed aquaculture and capture of nutrients from the ocean
Outcome 2.2: Strengthened governance, institutional and legal frameworks conducive for planning and accounting for seaweed aquaculture impacts –positive and negative
Component 3: Seaweed Value Chains (production + processing) – This Component requires working with producers and cooperatives to pilot off-shore farms that will serve as proof of concept for off-shore seaweed production. It will also support a proof of concept for a scalable seaweed carbon credit model, and finally, expanded collaboration with the finance sector and private sector.
Outcome 3.1: Improved technologies and testing for seaweed value chains in PH and VN
Outcome 3.2: Generating benefits from seaweed aquaculture for target communities (PH and VN)
Outcome 3.3: Expanded collaboration with the finance sector and private sector in Philippines and Viet Nam
Component 4: Knowledge Management, M&E, and IW Learn (regional) – This Component involves knowledge sharing and monitoring, and evaluation. The activities will be monitored and communicated via multiple channels. In this way, the project will utilize and expand on current baseline activities in the seaweed industry in the Philippines and Viet Nam to promote the interests of seaweed farmers and their communities and grow the global market for seaweed in a sustainable and responsible fashion.
Outcome 4.1: Knowledge Management and communication products allow best practices and lessons to be shared, scaled up
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Executive Summary:
Environmental and Social Management Framework, Process Framework, and Indigenous Peoples Planning Framework(Philippines)
Executive Summary:
Stakeholder Engagement Plan (Philippines)
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Blue Horizon: Ocean Relief through Seaweed Aquaculture
“Orientation on Environmental and Social Safeguards”
Buenavista, Zamboanga City
December 20, 2022
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Blue Horizon: Ocean Relief through Seaweed Aquaculture
“Orientation on Environmental and Social Safeguards”
Peria Sea Front Pensione, Roxas, Palawan
December 28, 2022
